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T. Balaraman1,2, S. Milanese3,4,2, R. Krishnan Vasanthi2, Y. Muniandy2
1Government District Headquarters Hospital, Physiotherapy Department, Kumbakonam, India, 2INTI International University, Physiotherapy Program, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Nilai, Malaysia, 3University of South Australia, School of Health Sciences, Adelaide, Australia, 4University of South Australia, International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, Sansom Institute, Adelaide, Australia
Background: Clinical training is a core component of physiotherapy curriculum. However, it is more challenging to the educators to provide optimal clinical exposure and learning to all the students uniformly as the learning environment is entirely different from the classroom. Since clinical education is imperative to develop the student’s clinical skills, understanding the students' perception about most effective teaching and learning strategy may help the educators to set up the framework for the most valuable clinical training activities. Although there are research studies about the perception of students about the teaching and learning activities during clinical training in developed countries, it is unknown in the Malaysian context.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of a Malaysian private university undergraduate physiotherapy student towards more effective and engaging teaching and learning activities during clinical training.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among 2 cohorts of the final year physiotherapy students of INTI International University, Malaysia. All the students, who completed their clinical training in the year 2018, were the participants. After obtaining informed consent a questionnaire was used to record the perceptions of students. The students need to rate the extent of learning during clinical training by choosing their options on a scale of 1 to 5. The data were then analyzed by descriptive statistics using median, percentages and quartile values.
Results: 31 students participated in the survey. The majority of the students preferred the clinical educator to be a facilitator of learning and supports the student for optimal learning. Demonstrations and linking theory to practice are the most favored teaching/learning strategy. Clinical teaching was better when it happened on one to one basis. The most effective teaching and learning activities as reported by students were the discussion on one to one basis and feedback about clinical practice, students' performance, limitations and skills. The students also learned a lot through assessment with a mock test and sharing responsibility for learning. The least preferred activities were participating in a journal club and making posters.
Conclusion(s): Based on the results of this survey the students chosen individual discussion, feedback about performance and mock assessment as a valuable teaching and learning activity during clinical training.
Implications: The educators need to consider the students view while planning the activities for clinical training as it better engage the students in learning more effectively.
Funding, acknowledgements: No funding support for this study.
Keywords: Clinical training, Physiotherapy, Teaching and learning activities
Topic: Education
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
Committee: INTI International University Research Ethics Committee
Ethics number: BPHTI/17102019
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
